By far IMHO the best film of the year so far. Compared to the previous two movies it is so much more mature and is finally begining to challenge some of the Existential Questions raised by the nature of the ongoing plot.

Unsuccessfully in the past, the film has dwelt on the younger John Connor, an unsuspecting victim of fate who is supposed to lead a resistance in a war against sentient Machine life which decides to take over the planet. The Films have asked questions regarding "Fate" in the only way they know how. By using time travel. But that didnt get to the heart of the matter.

This Movie has decided to take a leaf out of the film "Screamers" and challenge the notion of Humanity. It asks the question, "What is it to be Human, and how is that different from being a Machine." When we first meet John Conner he is not the leader of the Resistance, he is a mere cog in the chain of command, but a person who commands a certain ammount of respect amoungst the Militant arms grunt population.

Conner no longer questions his purpose nor his fate, nor his Humanity, but a new character called "Marcus" does. Marcus is a convicted criminal who killed both family members and law enforcement officers. He is a guy who has accepted what he has done and feel remorse, he is also a guy who believes that he fully deserves to pay for his crimes. We see Marcus executed by Leathal Injection before waking up in the age of machines. Right away the populas knows the forgone conclusion. That Marcus is himself a Terminator, is himself a Machine. The Populas also know right away that Marcus is completely innocent and hasnt got a clue about who or what he is. Marcus believes himself to be human, and so acts accordingly.

He displays characteristics that are fundementally human. A longing to see relatives, a longing to return home, confusion as to where he is and how he came to be there. Right away Marcus shows signs of love for other individuals, he still feels guilt and remorse for his past crimes. So one can imagine how crushing it is when he is shown by the resistance after capture the error of his believiefs. Then Marcus shows anger and a desire for revenge.

But this is where it becomes tricky. For the Machines are able to fool and bluff and make calculated deceits to reinforce false conclusions. When the resistance falls upon a signal that seems to act much like an EMP, the machines in all the testing sights seem to obay the command. Naturally when the Submarine Headquarters of the main chain of command releases the signal in magnificent style, all it does is draw the attention of machines. Machines arent known to set or spring traps, that requires thought and it has long been considered that thought is a unique Human Trait. If that Machines can be clever enough, and human enough to spring a trap, might they also be clever enough to use Marcus as an undercover weapon, without his conscious knowledge.

Is Self Sacrifice a Human trait only, one that can be used as proof that if a Machine is able to reach that level, has actually attained what is fundementally Human. Indeed whilst the Chain of command are hell bent on killing the machines regardless of the cost of human civilian casualties, John Conner is left questioning whether he has found a machine more Human, then some of the Humans fighting by his side.

Marcus and John are both looking for the same person in the latter half of the film, that focuses around the survival of a young teenager who is important to the past and future. That fateful existential Question, that leads John to follow Marcus into the heart of a Machine controlled district in search of the teenager who has been kidnapped. Skye-net claims that the whole purpose of Marcus was to lead John to them, however, at no time did they have control over him. They were able to calculate human response to reach a foregone conclusion. Once you know how humans react, you can manipulate them. But once you give the power of free choice to a Human, or a Machine, you run the risk of ultimate rebellion.

Marcus rejects the life of a machine, and instead fights alongside Connor to rescue hostages and ultimately distroy a key machine stronghold.

Jesus Christ said "Greater Love hath no man, then to lay down his life for a friend"

In the closing moments of the film, John Connor lies dying after battle has been won. Marcus decides of his own free will to give vital organs from his own body (the parts which are not mechanized) to replace those damaged. This of course spells certain death for him, yet without such a gift, it is obvious that John Conner will not pull through.

The films producers should be congratulated on an extremely impressive product. The Storyline was relatively simple compared to the confusion in others sequels, and the acting was not overdone. Both Lead Actors carried the film with ease, Marcus playing the role with just enough ballence to stop the film from descending into a melodrama, and keeping the emphasis on that eternal existential question.

"What makes us Human"

Neezar

06-19-2009, 04:29 AM

I filtered out the Dave Ku for the rest of us.

By far IMHO the best film of the year so far.

Fixed.

:laugh:

Neezar

06-19-2009, 04:30 AM

Just kidding, Dave. I will come back and read it when I have time. Maybe next Friday. :)

Tyburn

06-19-2009, 12:38 PM

Just kidding, Dave. I will come back and read it when I have time. Maybe next Friday. :)
:laugh: